Spring is here, I've deep cleaned my house, donations have been made to free up space, and I entered the new season with a batch of new makeup, shoes, and clothes to review. Let's get to it.
Made the Cut
Gen See Pick Me Up Lip | Margaret
Yup, it's the latest edition of "I got a sponsored post in my Instagram feed and really liked the thing and bought it." This time it was an ad for Gen See makeup, a newer brand with a curated selection of products. I decided to try their Pick Me Up Lip Matte Lipstick ($20) in the shade Margaret, described as a brownish neutral (so, right up my alley).
This is a pretty shade with very nice color payoff. Very pigmented and gives bold, matte color. The shade had a bit more pink in real life than it appeared to have in the stock photos, which was a bit disappointing (I've mentioned in previous posts how I really don't care for most pink lipsticks), but was still a flattering, wearable color. Just wish it had more brown and less pink. The product component feels a bit too lightweight for a $20 lipstick, which I wasn't impressed by, but it at least looks really attractive and the lid closes securely. The color was pretty long-lasting (only came off when eating) and didn't bleed at all during the day. Not a revolutionary product, just a good lipstick overall.
Vans The Lizzie | Marshmallow
Another day, another Vans collaboration, this time with skater Lizzie Armanto. I ended up picking up three different pieces from this collection, including the BFF Hoodie and Long Sleeve Tee, but The Lizzie sneakers ($85) are the showpiece of the collaboration. With a leaner and slimmer overall look, these high-tops are really cool and the type of profile I look for in a high-top.
The color is called Marshmallow, which is more of an off-white shade, and the shoes come with two pairs of laces: white and off-white. I switched out the white for the off-white because I preferred the match over the contrast. These were really stiff and hard to get into on the first wear, but after a single wear they really loosened up and have only become easier to get on with each subsequent wear. I'm a size 6 in nearly every shoe regardless of style (with the exception of boots, which I usually have to size up a half-size in) and recommend taking your normal size with these. However, thinner socks are much better for these shoes if you take your normal size; thick socks make the sneakers too tight and caused some discomfort on the back of one of my heels after taking a walk in them.
As an aside, I really love the Lizzie Armanto collection; the fruit/checkerboard patterns on the soles of the sneakers and on the hoodie and long-sleeve tee are super cute and contrast really well with the black.
Dolce Vita Modi Sandal | Black Leather
I had to take a trip to Palm Springs for work at the end of March, and we were told that dinner on the last night would be a fancy affair that would require something nicer than business casual attire. I also wanted to pack light for the trip, so I decided to find a shoe that was versatile, could take me from day to night, and that I'd get use out of beyond just a cocktail party and elegant dinner.
The Dolce Vita Modi Sandal ($100) came to the rescue. I LOVE this shoe. It's stylish, cool, elegant, unique, and visually interesting, all wrapped up in a comfortable, easy-to-wear block heel. Since my dress was black I decided to go with the black leather option. It was in the 90s every day of the trip and I have hyperhidrosis (I sweat too much), so I needed a shoe that wasn't going to be uncomfortable and miserable to walk around in. The soles are part fabric, part leather, and the fabric portion really made a difference in, well, reducing the amount of sliding around in the shoe (gross, I know, sorry), which can actually be a bit dangerous when your shoe is heeled. These are going to look great with jeans during the spring and summer and, of course, dresses. I got my usual size 6 and they fit perfectly.
Aritzia Wilfred Jacqueline Dress
I went straight to Aritzia for a dress for the fancy work dinner, knowing I'd find something perfect for the occasion. The Jacqueline Dress ($128) wound up being the one.
With its romantic, sheer sleeves and sweetheart neckline, this absolutely gorgeous dress is so flattering and feminine. I got it in black, which I feel gives the dress a little mystery and a lot of elegance. I felt the sizing on this dress ran a little small; I normally wear a 0 or 2 in Aritzia dresses, depending on fit, and an XS in tops, but I sized up to a 4 for this one because I felt it was just really tight in the hips. Try this one on in-store if possible, but once you find your size, this will be a dress you'll want to wear all the time.
Aritzia Wilfred Bellow Midi Dress + Parco Cashmere Cardigan
Knowing how hot it was going to be in Palm Springs, I decided to pick up a sundress that would help make the heat more tolerable. I went with the Bellow Midi Dress in Epicurean Brown/Light Birch ($158) for both the fabric weight (airy crepe) and the beautiful print. I got the dress in a size 0. This is another piece that I'll be able to wear anytime, which was another reason why I felt it deserved to be in my wardrobe. Such a beautiful dress.
Given that this was a work event, I wanted to show a little modesty, so I picked up a cardigan to go over it. The Parco Cashmere Cardigan ($198) in Light Birch was a perfect match for this dress and will also be a versatile piece in my wardrobe that I can get a lot of use out of. (And wow, is it soft.)
Didn't Make the Cut
Gen See Clean Sheen Cheek + Lip Color | Apricot
This product has a lot of potential, but it just simply didn't live up to my expectations. I ordered this at the same time that I ordered the lipstick, excited to try a new brand and a blush similar in consistency and application to Glossier's Cloud Paint, my all-time favorite blush.
The color selection is limited to three shades and Apricot is the only one I'd be willing to wear. This is also a tiny product, coming in at only 0.27 fl oz. or 8 mL for $18 (in comparison to Cloud Paint at 0.33 fl oz. or 10 mL for the same price). Unfortunately, compared to Cloud Paint and how a little goes a long way with that product, a little isn't going to get you very far with Clean Sheen. A small dab of the product hardly showed up on my face, and it felt like the more I was layering it on, the more it was lifting off of my face. This took a lot of product to build up to the point where I felt it was satisfactorily visible on my cheeks, and even then it was pretty underwhelming in color payoff. This also didn't last long on my face before fading.
While it gives a fresh sheen to the skin that's really flattering, the amount of product I found I needed for one application was a sign I'd likely go through this product way too fast, making this a bad buy economically. I will say that, while I tend to shy away from orange and peachy shades for blush because I think they pull too orange on me, this was a nice color. It's just really a shame that the color payoff wasn't there and it took so much product to be visible.
Be sure to check back next month for another round of products that made the cut and didn't, and thanks for reading my monthly series, The Cut.
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